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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Bloggers Quilt Festival: Just Between Friends/Calendar Girls

I thought a long time about which quilt to feature for Bloggers Quilt Festival. This has been a strange year and there wasn't really a new quilt that was ready to go. So since my dear friend, Sue, passed away in March, which has kind of defined 2010 for me, it seemed fitting to feature a quilt from about five years ago, for a couple of reasons.

Perfect fabric for the back: Just Between Friends/Best Friends (by Mary Engelbreit)

Long before I knew anything about virtual quilting bees and online block exchanges, a group of us did our own block exchange. Sue picked out a focus fabric and decided we should each make star blocks, any star pattern as long as it was 12" finished. The quilting expertise ranged from quite experienced to those who had never made a quilt before but were eager to learn.

So we picked our individual star block, made 12 of the same block, and then shared them, so everyone had a set of 12 blocks, one each from every other person in the group. When we were finished, we planned an evening where we would have supper, exchange our blocks, take a group picture, and then....

Remember the movie Calendar Girls? One of our friends and her husband own a photography studio and we thought it would be fun to take individual pictures, each holding our own block, and then assemble them into a calendar.

This was the funniest part of the story. My friend, Maggie, thought it would be a "good" idea to email my parents, and here is part of what she wrote to them:

"Tonight I am checking in to see if you are aware that Cindy is Miss April...If the movie Calendar Girls is unfamiliar to you...some older women stepped out for charity. In fact, they stepped right out of their clothes for a wildly popular calendar. And Cindy has participated in a local Calendar Girls situation...In case she hasn't told you. Anyway, she is Miss April. She has a pieced 12x12 block placed strategically over her chest...kind of racy, don't you think? Well, you know how those pastor's kids can be...."

We waited and waited, and never heard a peep from my parents. Finally, Maggie called them up and stopped by. I think they were really quite nervous as she prepared to unveil the calendar to them. Close your eyes if you're a little nervous about seeing me as Miss April...

Anyway, I love this quilt and all the fun times and good memories. Thanks, Sue...

And before you leave...I'm a sponsor for Bloggers Quilt Festival. Leave a comment on Amy's blog and you will have a chance to win one of these selvage pincushions, custom-designed especially for this fall's BQF. See? It even says "BQF 2010" in the middle of the pincushion.

I absolutely love that movie, so really enjoyed reading your story. And you share something that for me is essential to quilting, which is the building of friendships. On top of that, I have a soft side for traditional quilts, love red, and find this monochromatic quilt is really quite striking. I'm sure this will be a quilt to treasure for many, many years. Thank you for sharing.

This is such a beautiful quilt. But the story behind it is even more amazing! I love each and every star, and I love that you have a star block made by each of your friends. Thanks for being a sponsor for the festival! Love your BQF selvages!

A beautiful quilt and a beautiful story. To funny about the note to your parents. Miss April indeed! Love the salvage edge pin cushions. I'm a secret collector of salvages edges (shhh). In fact I just took them out today and made certain that while I was more busy I hadn't crushed any of them in the container I keep them in as they'll be my very own spider web quit, someday.

Cindy,Quilts are special and this one has a particularly beautiful story. I love the red backing- Mary Englebreit makes fabulous fabric designs. I am sorry for the loss of your dear friend. May your quilt bring you comfort and fond memories of someone who was obviously a special person.Thank you for sharing this treasure/Warmest regards,Anna

What a delightful quilt-thanks for sharing its story. And thanks for sponsoring the show--I so want a selvage pincushion.Hope you can visit my entries: 1890 antique school house and black/white/pink scrappy miniature.

That's a fantastic story! The quilt is lovely, too. I am sure you all had so much fun with the calendar.Sorry to hear about your friend.Your pincushions are so fun - love how you put BQF 2010 in there...; )

your quilt is just lovely. i love stars, i love red and white, i love mary englebreit, love your story of friends doing this together, the calendar thing is hysterical. wow!! love it, love it!!! thanks for sharing and have a great day

Lol! So funny. And such a gorgeous quilt and special story. I had some of that MEnglebreit fabric and I loved it. What a prefect use for it! (And I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. I know that feeling.)